Claw hammer



R. S. BLAIR CLAW HAMMER July 26, 1932.

Filed Feb. 4, 1925 l fdependable v 1manner.

provide a` device of the above nature which A.

. pensive. vious or 1n part pointed out hereinafter.

Patented July 26, 1932 i U-Nirsn stares trPAriENr 0ppm-gj .Y

i' ROBERT 1S... BLAIR, `0F1 STAIEFORIQ' CONNECTICUT lCLAN HAIHMER Application led February 4,1925. Serial No. 6,754. Y

vThis yinvention relates to construction for claw hammersrandthe like.

v@ne vof the objects of the invention 1s to l'provide-a device of the-abovenature having aenailextracting claw highly efficient in -action. Another object is to providesuch a ldevice by means of `which a nail-may be extracted in its entirety ina convenient and Another object is to is strong and rugged, capable of dependable service, and which is yet simple and inex- Other objects will be in part ob- Thervzinvention accordingly consists in the Afeatures of construction, combinations of elewments, y.and .arrangementsofA parts as will be exemplied in the structure to be here- ,inafterv described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

,Inithe accompanying drawing, in Awhich ,ware shown various-possible embodiments of z' thisV invention,

Figureil` is aside elevation of a hammer; iFigure ,2. is `a section substantially.-along the line. 2-2 of'Fig. .1, showing-the claw Aportions of the `hammer in plan;

. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sections taken along :the lines 3-43, 4-4 and 5-5 respectively oi' Fig. 2;

:Figures 6, 7,r 8 and 9 are sections substantially similartto that of-Fig. 4, being taken respectivelythrough various modified forms of nail extracting claws;

Figure 10 is-a view similar to F ig. 2 showi ing in plana further modified form of claw;

Figure 11 is afsfde elevation of the coni struction shown in Fig. 10;

Figure 12 is similar` to Fig. 11 showing the addition of another i feature Figure 13 isa viewvsimil-ar tov Figs. 2 and 10 Yshowing a further modification, andv Figure 14fis La side elevation. of the con-` ,struction shown; in Fig. 113. l

Similar reference'characters refer to similar parts ythroughout the several views of f the drawing.

yiReferring nowto Figure 1 `of the drawngrin adetail, there is lshow-nia hammer com- `tions 14b and`15b-ofthe twojaws-formingl the claw areat the end of the claw substantially flat, asbronght out inFigure 5. As

prising a main body 10 in which is secured the lhandle 11, the body being provided with a hammer headA 12, and opposite thereto with a nailextracting claw 13. As i's'seen in Figure 2, the 'bodyof the claw 13 oining the 55 z main body 10 of thehammer is a solid member from.which project the outwardlyvand f rearwardly curving jaws 14 and 15. These `vjawsare spaced from each otheratftheiry ends preferably to a distance a little/greater '60 than the diameter ot' a large-sized nail,l the space Y betweenVKV the jaws Y gradually narrowing until the jaws meet where they merge into the body 13 othe claw.

These Ajaws 14and 15 are preferablymade -55 of. a tough resilientsteel, and suitably-tem-` pered. rTheir cross-section varies-progressively lirom vone end` to the other, asV is best brought out :in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Referring to these igures,'it is seen that the metal romo .which thejaws are made -is relatively thin,

Y tion, the metal of the jaws is preferably somewhat thickened from theends thereof toward the lbody portion 13, so that their strength is gradually built up as maybe appreciated by a comparison VoF-igures 5,'4 and 3 in the order named. 'The' inner nailengagingfportheseportions approach the'body 13,fthey are curved upwardly to a gradually increasing height, as brought out in VFigures 4 and 3f* VIn' the use of this claw, the extraction-f of the nail may be started by forcing thel parts 14b or 15b at the extreme end otthe claw underneath the head ofthe nail,i assuming that the nail has been driven intoitsfullest' extent. yAfter thus starting Vthe extraction of the nail,*it may be drawn ,outv alittle 'further-by engagementof the parts'14b and f 15b adjacent the end offthe' claw withpthe under Aside of the headythe hammerv beingtilo rocked upon the surface 13a (Fig. 1). In order to further extract the nail, it is necessary to either grip the shank of the nail or raise the surface upon which the part 13 of the hammer is rocked, this latter expedient being ordinarily'emp'loyed in the use of the usual well-known type of claw hammer as by placing a block underneath the head of the hammer. Y

By means of the claw shown in Figures 1-5, the shank of the nail may be securely gripped and the nail extracted in its entirety without the necessity of employing a block upon which to rest the hammer.

After the nail has been started, the now exposed shank is movedy further into the `converging space between the jaws 14 and 15 until` the shank contacts the opposingv faces ofthe parts 14b and 15b. -When the hammer is now rocked upon the surface 13a, the faces of the parts 141U and 15b are in frictional engagement with the shank of the nail, and as a lifting force is exerted by rocking the hammer the parts 14b and 15b tend to spring downwardly relative to th-e more rigid parts 14a and 15a, and as these vparts spring downwardly they approach each type of claw hammer. Inserted in these parts other securely gripping and biting-into the shank of the nail. The greater the force exerted in pulling the nail, the greater is this gripping action of the inner resilient portions of the jaws. When the nail has been extracted as far as possibl-e with the first grip upon the shank as described, a new and lower grip andany successive required number of grips may be taken'until the nail is entirely extracted.

- Referring now to the modified form showny in Figure 6, the jaws forming the claw are in this instance made preferably in two parts. The outer or main portions 16 and 17 of the jaws are substantially rigid, as in the usual 16 and 17 `are a pair of resilient strips 18 and 19 respectively, which project from the inner sides of the two jaws and form the nail engaging portions thereof. These strips -18 and 19 are curvedcupwardly, as shown,

and their action will be understood to be sub- 1-5. As a lifting force is exerted upon the shank of a nail between the opposing faces .55 of the two strips 18 and 19, the strips tend to spring downwardly relatively to the rigid parts 16 and 17, and in so doing they move toward each other, gripping the nail more and more securely.

The l'embodiment shown in Figure 7 is similar toV that shown in Figure 6, except Vthat the resilient strip 18 is omitted. The

shank of the nail is receivedbetween ,the

innercedge of the vupwardly Vcurved strip 19 and the face 16a of the rigid part 16. As` a `lifting force is exerted, th-e part 19 in'frictional engagement with theshank of the nail swings downwardly and toward the jaw 16 so that the shank is securely gripped between the spring 19 vand the surface 16a.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the

two jaw portions 2O and 21 are substantiallyV is received between their opposing faces. In

action, the parts 22?L and 23EL spring downwardly and inwardly toward each other relative to the rigid parts 20 and 21, securely gripping the shank of the nail.

Figure V9 shows a construction similar to that of Figure 8, the two spring strips 25 and 26 being secured to the two rigidjaw members 27 and 28 respectively by being inserted therein along their outer edges 25a and 26a'. Their inner portions V25D and 261 curve upwardly between the rigid jaw members 27 and 28, and the shank of the nail is grippedbetween the opposing faces of these parts 25b and 26", as will be understood from the above.

Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown a further modified form of this invention. T he two jaws 29 and 30 of the claw are prefer'ably substantiallyrigid. Adjacent their junction with the body 31 of the hammer, and on the side thereof toward the handle, the metal ofthe jaws is weakened as by grooves 32 and 33. These grooves are cut on diagonal lines, as shown, and when a lifting force is exerted on the nail through the jaws 29 and f 30, the metal thereof gives slightly along these the pulling` force exerted the tighter the gripping engagement becomes. The action isthus similar to that described with regard toV F igures 1-5 and the nail may be completely with-A drawn with the greatest convenience.V

If found desirable in order to improve the gripping action of the construction just described in connection with Figures 10 and 11, a line slot 34 may be cut in the body of the claw oppositeand parallel with'the grooves 32 and 33. vSuch a slot 34 materially increases the yielding action and hence the gripping action of the jaws without materially weal'zening the structure, since the force Ywhich the metal at this part is called upon to withstand is a force of compression.

, In Figures 13 and 14 there isshown a cony struction in which the action is similar to that just described in-'connection with*Figures` 10-12. .Y In this `construct-'ion ,the j aws 35 jand portions of at 36 are of substantially rigid material, and are made separate from the body 37. The jaws 35 and 36 are pivoted to the body 37 by means of suitable lugs 38 and 39 and diagonal pivot pins 40 and 41 respectively. Resilient means such as a pair of spiral springs 42 and 43 normally hold the jaws in the position shown in Figure 14. The shank of the nail is received between the opposing faces of the two jaws 35 and 36, and when a. lifting force is exerted the two jaws frictionally engaging the nail, swing downwardly about their pivots 40 and 41. In so swinging the two jaws approach each other and securely grip the shank of the nail. When the grip is released, the springs immediately return the jaws to their original positions in readiness for taking a new grip.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is herein provided apparatus which embodies the features of the invention andV attains the objects thereof, including many important practical advantages. The structures described are simple and adapted to operate in a highly efficient manner in the performance of the results to be achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the'embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. l

I claim as my invention:

1. In construction for claw hammers and the like, a nail extracting claw having substantially rigid supporting parts and resilient nail engaging parts, said nail engaging parts being adapted upon nail extracting movement of said claw to move downwardly and inwardly toward each other relative to said rigid` parts and into gripping engagement with said nail.

2. In construction for claw hammers and the like, a-nail extracting claw comprising a pair of spaced jaws converging toward the body of the claw, the innernail engaging least one of said jaws being of resilient material and normally directed upwardly toward the head of the nail being extracted.

3. In construction for claw hammers and the like, a nail extracting claw comprising a pair of spaced jaws converging toward the body of the claw, the inner nail engaging portions of said jaws being of resilient material and normally curved upwardly toward the head of the nail being extracted, the amount of said upward curve increasing progressively from the end of thev claw toward the body thereof. j

4. In construct-ion for claw hammers and the like, a claw comprising a pair of curved jaws lying substantially in the same plane at their outer flattened ends and at least one gripped therebetween and the claw," being swung in anail-'drawing direCtOD- 5. In construction for-clawhammers'and ltheilike, a1nailextracting claw comprising` a jpairof-jspaced jaws converging toward'the body ofltheclaw, lsaidjaws being'of resilient Y material and the inner nail engaging portions ythereof being normally directed lupwardly toward the head of the nail being extracted and the'outer portionsV thereof being reenforced and substantially rigid.

, 6, A ,claw hammer having divergingnailengaging portions and vmeans mounting at least one of said portions on the hammer and forming an axial connection therefor inclined v j with respect ltothe longitudinal center-line to the hammer head and of such resilience as to cause'it to yield in use, in thedirection of the other nail-engaging portion.

`7. A claw hammer having diverging nailengaging portions and means mounting y.at

least one of said portions on the hammer and forming an axial connection therefor inclined with respect to the-longitudinal centerline to the hammer head and of such resilience as to cause it to yield in use, in the-direction of the other nail-engaging portion, the axis of said axial connection being closer to the outer surface of the claw than is thev gripping j edge of the nail-engaging portion which swings about the same.

v8. A claw hammer having curved nailengaging portions diverging longitudinallyr of the hammer head and integral portions connecting at least'one of the same with the body of the hammer head of a resilience which will cause said portion to yield in use, and shaped to form an axial connection which 'is non-perpendicular to the effective edge of the other nail-engaging portion.

9. A claw hammer having a pair of nailengaging portions diverging longitudinally of the hammer head, at least onev of which follows substantially throughout the length of the claw and is inclined away from the outer surface of the claw and is of a resistance to initial bending less than the bendingstress in use thereon whereby it bends in. use. i

10. A claw hammer, the claw of which comprises gripping portions formed of resilient materia-l and inclined towardeach other in a direction away from the bearing surface of the claw and having a resistance to initial bending less than the bending stress imposed thereon in use whereby it bends in v use, and the outer portion of the claw being relatively rigid to reenforce said gripping portions.

11. A claw hammer having a pair of diverging curved nail-engaging portions and integral means mounting at least one of said nail-engaging portions upon the body of the head of the hammer and forming a resilient' aXial connection of a resistance to initial bending less than the bending st-ress to Which it is subjected in the use of the hammer,

whereby it bends in use, and normally holdingl the nail-engaging portion mounted thereon in a position from Whichmovement about the axis of said connection Will move its en- Y gaging surface tovvard the engaging surface of the other nail-engaging portion.

l2. A claw hammer having mounted upon atleast one of its claws a resilient member provided with a gripping edge and an integral portion connecting it with the claw and shaped to tend to move said edge toward the Y other claw under the stress to Which it is subjected to use, saidconnection having a resistance to initial bending` less than the bending stress imposed thereon in use.

13. Aclaw hammer having mounted upon y v at least one of its claws a strip of resilient metal provided With a gripping edge andso connected With said claw as to movesaid edge toward the other claw in use, said member being shaped and of such resilience asto be Y distorted by the stress imposed by use.

In testimony whereof, I have signed vmy name to this specification this 23rdL day of January, 1925.

ROBERT S. BLAIR.

fill Y v@aik 

